This Warm Christmas Night
by Aquarius Galuxy
Summary: [Oneshot] 2005 Xmas present to all RayMariah fans. How will Ray and Mariah spend their muchneeded Christmas break at a ski resort? And what do they stand to escape from? Rated for lime.


**Author's notes:** Like I said, the tenth of December! Here's an early Christmas present for all you RayMariah (ReiMao) fans, or at least, those of you remaining. 8) Hope you all find it nice… I'm sorry if the fic seems a little weird… I've been struggling to finish it this past week, and I've had cramps, a long bout of indigestion, muscle aches, and fever over the same period… Hope you understand. 8)

Special thanks go out to two unnamed people – you'll know who you are, if you bother reading the fic – 'cause they've been either intentionally or unintentionally giving me inspiration for this fic… Hugs to both of you! 8D

And since this is the Christmas season, you could exercise your kindness by leaving a gift in the form of a review…

Merry Christmas, everybody! 8D

**Warnings: **This fic is rated R for mainly the lime, so the people who don't cut the age limit could just read the fic and skip the lime… You can scroll all the way past the lime, until you see a page break. 8)

**Disclaimer: **I have never owned Beyblade, but I love the characters found in there.

**This Warm Christmas Night  
****By Aquarius Galuxy**

Mariah glanced around the living room. There was little for her to do in the house she shared with Ray and Lee. It was three days to Christmas – surely she could busy herself with something… But there wasn't anything that needed work done.

Turning to her right, she found Ray's gaze fixed on her. She grinned, looking into his eyes. His smile in return invited her to shift closer to him on the couch. The man slipped an arm around her waist to draw her close, then supported her beneath her knees with his arm, scooping her up onto his lap. She shivered at their proximity. Perhaps having nothing to do was good, after all…

He didn't seem to mind when she hooked her arm behind his neck to reduce the distance between them. Rather, the smile playing on his lips suggested that he'd been _waiting_ for that to happen.

She grinned fondly at him, leaning forward to touch her nose with his. _Nice, but not good enough_, his sparkling eyes seemed to say. She _was_ getting to it… Parting her lips, she was about to retort when he ran his hand up her thigh. Sensually.

Her eyes half-lidded, she tilted her head to meet _his_ parted lips. The wet kiss ahead…

"Could you not do that in front of me?" Lee's deep voice cut through their pregnant (and almost charged) silence.

Two pairs of eyes slid towards him, though the forms of the couple were otherwise still. It was slightly unnerving… But he had promised himself that he'd have the hell of a time irritating them prior to their Christmas trip to Japan… And he only had half a day left before they set off…

Their focus returning to each other, they completed the kiss (it was nine seconds long – he'd mentally timed them), then pulled apart. Come to think of it, they were pretty tolerant of his antics... And tonight would be the same, he'd wager.

"We could try the kitchen," Ray whispered to her, ignoring the man standing at the doorway. They'd grown used to Lee's interruptions, though the disturbances did get on his nerves sometimes. Following the female's lead, he got to his feet, allowing her to lead him to the kitchen by his hand.

Mariah released his hand at the door, then went on to the fridge, pulling the lower door open, before bending down to see if there was anything edible on the transparent plastic shelves within.

The man relaxed against the door frame, slowly allowing his gaze to sweep over what he could see of her frame. Her tight, enticing rear peeked from behind the fridge door, obviously not to her knowledge. At this moment, he could well think of a more delicious thing to devour…

Crossing the room in a few strides, he planted himself behind her, resting his hands on her hips. Her shiver reached his hands, causing him to grin. She should know the futility of looking for food now…

Applying a slight pressure, he pulled her back from the interior of the fridge. Her supple body obeyed his wordless request, smoothly leaning back so that she had full, albeit clothed, bodily contact with him. She turned to link her arms round the back of his neck.

The fridge door snapped shut more quickly than could be expected when he backed her up against the metallic appliance. It had become his desire to kiss her fully and properly and wetly…

Pressing her head against the refrigerator to keep her in place, he kissed her, softly at first, then slipped his tongue into her mouth as the kiss deepened. Her lips were so warm against his… The woman whimpered, threading her fingers in his hair. She wanted him… more of him…

"I want to get something from the fridge," came Lee's voice, this time from a foot away.

And this time, they jumped, breaking apart. His sister flushed, giving him an irritated stare. Her husband merely sighed, his lips twitching. It was of little wonder that they couldn't hear him, even when he was so near. This game was a good one to play, indeed. Though he hadn't exactly been looking forward to stepping within two feet of a passionate kiss…

Ray glanced from Mariah to his brother-in-law, then back at the woman. It seemed that he needed to get her away, before she attempted murder on him. It seemed, too, that she'd missed the amused twinkle in Lee's eyes. Personally, he liked the idea of saving best for last…

Brushing his lips across her cheek to get her attention, he pulled her away, in the direction of the bathroom. Perhaps they could continue their… activities there. He could feel her eyes on his back, anticipating…

Lee shrugged and went over to the fridge. Once the 'click' of the bathroom lock sounded, however, the nonchalant mask was replaced by a devilish expression.

Ray pressed her gently to the bathroom door, his darkened gaze drawn to her upturned face. She was still waiting for him, for their heated embraces… Tipping her chin up, he kissed her softly, then murmured against her lips. "Just two days more…"

"I don't know if I can wait," she whispered back, rubbing against him. The feel of her warm body sent shivers down his spine. He could sense her desire for him, that made her tremble, made him want to satisfy her need…

Kissing her with a loving fervour and having her respond with the same fierce passion made him push his knee between her legs, parting them, so that she slumped against him, moaning. Arousal flooded his veins, and he roamed her body with his hands, eagerly exploring each contour of her flesh.

A couple of sharp knocks brought them unwillingly out of the state of ardour.

"Do we have to?" Mariah looked helplessly at Ray, tracing a finger down his cheek. The warmth of their excitement hadn't dissipated yet…

"I need to use the bathroom urgently," replied Lee from outside. However, judging from the tone of his voice, he could have waited an hour more and still not be desperate.

"We're… rather urgent ourselves…" Ray managed, pressing a kiss to her brow. She hugged him tight, nuzzling beneath his chin. Why were words so difficult to come by at times like these? Not able to make any other excuses, he returned the hug, then kissed her temple.

"You could take your urgency to the bedroom," Lee pointed out.

Sighing, the man pulled away from his wife, wincing at her reproachful stare. Tightening his arm around her waist, he whispered in her ear. "Take if out on Lee, if it makes you happy."

Just the slightest bit pacified, she huffed, then followed him out. He had to stifle a grin when she prodded Lee in the ribs with a vengeance. The other man flinched, backing a step away. At least Mariah wouldn't be that grumpy after having her needs fulfilled…

They retreated into their bedroom, closing the door behind them and locking it.

Lee raised an eyebrow, then returned to the living room, settling back on the couch. He just had one last chance at interrupting them tonight…

Fifteen minutes later, the man got up, stretched, then headed towards the same bedroom door. Muffled moans and groans could be heard, but he didn't have the inclination to listen too carefully. He raised his hand, then knocked twice on the door.

The moans continued, as if he hadn't made a sound. Perhaps they were too engrossed? Knocking with more force, he leaned forward and spoke loudly to the door.

"Ray? Could I borrow a nail clipper, please?"

Usually, he wouldn't have bothered to be _that_ courteous, but something told him that it was necessary this night…

Another moan was heard, this one being distinctly feminine. Maybe his noise was drowned out… Then came the sound of a drawer sliding shut, and the door was unlocked a few moments later.

Lee raised his eyebrows at the sight Ray presented: untied hair, bare-bodied – save for a pair of boxers, and a white bra slung casually over his shoulder. The latter thrust him the object requested, then cast him a look that said plainly, _now leave us alone_.

He smiled his thanks, then moved away. There would not be any other disturbance tonight… Another would be pushing it too far. Yawning, the man retreated into his own bedroom to retire for the night.

* * *

Mariah pressed close to him as they stepped into the arrival hall of the Japanese airport. Even though their trip to Japan had not been publicised, it was safer to just stay close to one another to ensure that they did not get separated.

Things were going well so far, as they made their way to the baggage claim area. As long as they could make it out smoothly out of the place and meet up with Tyson for a short while, they would be safe, and their trip would be quick.

Hauling their shared suitcase off the conveyor belt, Ray led her out of the hall, tilting his face down to minimise the chances of being spotted. He tightened his hand around hers, smiling slightly as she gave him a squeeze in return. They moved briskly, sweeping through the gate and into the common area of the airport, where non-passengers lingered.

"Ray!"

"Is that Ray of the White Tigers?"

"And is that Mariah with him?"

He could hear unfamiliar voices start to call in Japanese, all seeming to close in around them. And he really wasn't in the mood for autographs… Glancing over at Mariah, he nodded at her in silent agreement to start running.

Suddenly people seemed to be everywhere, many getting in their way. The excited shouts followed them down the passageways, sounding almost as if there was already a crowd tailing them. It was almost impossible to tell if the pounding of feet belonged to them, or to the fans behind them. She reached behind to pull something from her bag, fumbling slightly as they rounded a corner.

A soft, white material flopped down on his head, shielding his eyes. The man took a couple of seconds before realising that it was the sunhat she'd brought along for him to blend into the surroundings in situations like these.

She had a similar black one on, though her hands were busy tucking her hair into the hat, so that it couldn't be easily seen that she had long hair. He raised an eyebrow, handing the suitcase over to her so that he could do the same to his hair. By the time he was done, the crowd seemed to have dispersed, or perhaps, stopped and started combing through the people…

Taking hold of her hand and the suitcase again, he hurried along with her to the small café at which he'd arranged to meet his friend. It was quiet there… Thus, it wasn't surprising that the Japanese man was nowhere to be seen.

Looking over at Mariah, he led her to a table in a corner, then went to order drinks for them. He could feel her gaze on him throughout the entire time, and it warmed him to know that she cared…

A delighted grin spread on her face when he returned, the grin replicating itself on him when she stole a sip of his apple juice, before starting on her own orange juice. He couldn't wait to spend time with her, and her alone…

Fortunately, the hats they wore did not seem very much out of place in the café, with foreigners hailing from other countries donning their own headgear. Moreover, she looked cute with her hair stuck within the black sunhat…

It seemed inadequate to just stare at each other over the small table, what with her smooth, glistening lips slightly parted… Leaning over, he kissed her on the lips, flicking his tongue over her lower lip to taste the tangy orange flavour. She shivered, then parted her lips for him, tasting him back in return. To feel that playfulness teasing him back…

"I see you're still as loving as the last time I saw you."

They broke apart, then looked up to see Tyson grinning down at them. Without being asked to, the Japanese man sat on an adjacent seat, placing a small paper bag on the table.

"The rest of them are too busy to come along, so I've brought you their gifts," Tyson continued.

"Thanks… You remind me of Lee." Ray sighed, then grinned back at his friend, who raised his eyebrows. "He's been interrupting Mari and me for the past few days."

"Didn't know that guy had a sense of humour," the navy-haired man replied, pushing the paper bag in their direction. Mariah gave her husband a nudge, then accepted the bag with a smile, her eyes shining when he handed Tyson another bag.

"Here're your gifts from us… You'll find them labeled." Ray smiled. "And… Merry Christmas."

The pink-haired woman said the same, then stood up with him to leave.

Tyson got to his feet as well, taking the bag. "Thanks… Merry Christmas to you, both of you, and have a nice holiday."

Ray shared a look with Mariah. "God knows, we really need one."

The Japanese man smiled in understanding, then bade them goodbye, pointing in a certain direction. "The taxi stand's over there, if you want to know."

Grinning, they thanked him and waved, heading off.

Tyson watched as they headed out. "Bye, and have a nice time, you guys!"

* * *

"So, what do we do now?" Mariah asked slyly as she slipped her arm around the strong, warm one next to hers. That arm was extracted and wrapped around her waist, causing the slightest bit of discontent, which melted into joy.

Ray grinned down at her, tightening his hold on her body, so that she purred low in her throat and snuggled close to him. Steering her towards the lounge door, he replied, "We could do _something_…"

A playful grin crept across her lips. The deep affection she held for him tugged at her heart, giving her a cosy warmth. Did he think of much else? "But we've already done _something_ in the afternoon, and this morning, after we woke up…"

"You're complaining?" He smirked, turning to step in front of her, effectively stopping her in her tracks. By then, they were a little distance away from the common lounge. Without the heat from the room, the corridor outside felt a little chilly…

The woman shivered when he drew her close, raising a hand to cup her cheek. She let him guide her face towards his, sighing with pleasure as his lips brushed over hers tenderly, like the soft caress of a feather. In response to that touch, she leaned further against him to deepen the kiss for a moment, before breaking away.

The clear, strong shine of love in his golden eyes made her heart flutter. She felt closer to him than ever at that moment, although the times they spent together were always special in their unique ways.

"I'm not…" The murmur was lower than what it should have been, giving her voice a husky quality that made his eyes darken. Her stomach flipped. "I was just recounting… Although I wouldn't mind another round of it…"

"Good." Ray released her from his hold, but not before he gave her a gentle, soft kiss on the tip of her nose. She grinned with excitement, slipping her hand into his to hurry him. He matched her grin and started in the same direction she walked.

It was Christmas, and night had fallen close to a couple of hours ago, shrouding the Japanese ski resort in darkness and a flurry of snow. They'd chosen to spend this Christmas together, without anyone else they knew, so that they had a heightened sense of being alone. This privacy proved to be very useful, indeed…

It took quite a bit of distraction to pry their curiosity from their gifts, the distraction being in the form of hours of bedroom romps, with bouts of skiing, lounging and cuddling in between, so that often, the thought of Christmas gifts was already long forgotten by the time part of the day went by.

Snow was still falling when they arrived at their room. White flakes battered helplessly against the glass panes of the window, caking on the lower corners of the wooden frame to form a second, rounder border around the view outside.

The man shut the door behind them, watching as she padded over to the window. He was much reminded of a feline on a full-moon night when she raised her head and stared out at the whirling snow.

S_he was beautiful._ Entranced yet again, he made his way languidly over to her, pausing just behind her form. The soft, floral scent of her led him to dip his head and close his eyes momentarily, inhaling a lungful of that same fragrance.

Mariah responded by resting her weight against him, and he wound his arms around her waist instinctively to support her. Her soft sigh brought a smile to his lips. He liked the way she trusted him to be there when she leaned back, so that she was prevented from losing her balance and falling. He would never let her fall if he could help it…

Raising his gaze past the window, Ray allowed himself to relax further. Graceful swirls of snow swept across the air outside, clouding the crescent moon hanging in the sky. The night would have at least been partially moonlit otherwise…

Images of past times floated before his eyes, where he saw himself having fun with people he knew, cared about, and loved. The year had almost passed too fast for his liking, although he hadn't regretted any of the things he did, especially marrying the woman in his arms. This alone had made him happier than ever…

Shifting his attention to her, he trailed kisses down the side of her head, bringing his hand up to tuck her pink hair behind her ear, before nuzzling it. Mariah seemed to remember his presence, starting slightly. His lips twitched upwards. She was just so innocent at times, that it filled him not with lust, but with a kind of strong love that made him want to just hold her tight and enjoy being with her, cherish her.

"Love you," he murmured, just as she turned and smiled, her eyes shining with the same sentiment. Their lips met midway, softly, a gentle contact that sent warmth down his spine. Sliding his eyelids down to enhance the pleasure tingling from his lips, he felt her rest a hand on his cheek, applying a slight pressure to make him move closer.

Of her own accord, Mariah took his lower lip between her teeth, nibbling softly on him. He drew his breath sharply, barely noticing the excitement that sparked in his veins. The man caught her tongue the moment she made to lick him, delighting in the quiver of her body when she gasped.

He liked the wet smoothness of her mouth, the erotic sharpness of her teeth, the nimble playfulness of her tongue, as well as her sweet taste… Yet he wanted so much more, so much that he knew she could fulfill… He slid his hand down to beneath her arm, reaching over to trace the side of her right breast.

She shivered exquisitely and pulled away, taking deep breaths. He'd almost growled when she broke the kiss, though her sparkling eyes told him that she knew how he was feeling. The excitement was still there, and although he desired her, it would be more pleasurable when he did eventually get what he needed. At the moment, however, his body suffered as her warmth left him.

Ray followed her across the room, watching her in curiosity. The woman drew out a box on the dresser, one which he recognized as the gift from Tyson. What did she need it for? There were two crystalline bottles of perfume in it, one for him, the other for her. The most striking thing about those bottles was that they were in the shape of human torsos. Naked – albeit blurred – human torsos. God knew what his friend had in mind when he got them those bottles…

Peering over her shoulder, he found her holding the bottle meant for him. It was almost as if she had anticipated the question on his lips, from the way she turned and gazed at him through her lashes, then looked back at the crystal figure in her hand.

A sharp stab of arousal shot through his loins when she slid a finger down the torso, then went on to draw it around the bulge at base of the figure. If she were doing that to him…

The man shivered, his mind too clouded to put words to his desires. Instead, he watched her trail her finger around the bulge in the opposite direction, then apply a slight pressure over it, so that her fingertip whitened around the edges. Now, if she'd be a good girl and do that to him…

He growled deep in his throat, taking a step closer to her. Their bodies were pressed together, his front against her back. She gasped loudly when he slipped his hands around her frame, dragging his left across her torso to her breasts, cupping each in turn, and his right down to her crotch, where he rubbed her with a maddening slowness.

To add to her mounting need, he bent down to nuzzle the base of her slim neck, sucking on her skin, then licking her and biting on her gently. She whimpered and squirmed to get closer to him.

Spurred on by the tightness at his loins, as well as the tempting, squirming woman in his arms, he rubbed his arousal against the small of her back, struggling to control himself when she emitted a slow, needy moan and ground back against him. Ray shuddered at the sharp pleasure she gave him, unable to bite back the similar moan that fell through his lips.

Mariah threw her head back against his shoulder, allowing him a greater access to her neck, although there were other parts of her that ached more badly for him. It felt swollen, moist and heavy where he kneaded her… Tiny tremors raced through her body, sensitising her skin to his caresses.

Impatient, she turned partially towards him, reaching behind to tug at his shirt. At this action, he stepped up the sensual assault by sucking harder at her skin and rubbing her in slow, circular motions. A soft cry escaped her lips. The myriad of sensations flooding her nerves made her whimper and wish for more, made her shudder with need for him…

She twisted within his grasp when he shifted to nibble on her earlobe. The move ended up with her crushing her hip against him, pressing unintentionally where he urged… She noticed the deep lust that entered his eyes and dilated his pupils further, then reached for his shirt.

Barely a second later, she found herself held hard against his front, facing him. The hungered look he gave her excited her unbearably, and she rubbed herself against him, moaning softly. Strong fingers tipped her chin upwards – he kissed her hard, tongue battling with her for dominance, and she yielded, wanting to feel the blinding pleasure he could give her…

His experienced hands moved over her, tugging, undoing, lifting; he kissed her repeatedly, teasing her, dizzying her mind so that she felt weak at her knees. She knew nothing but his kisses, then he trailed a warm hand down her back and groped her rear, awakening the nerves in her skin.

_He'd undressed her completely…_

Painfully aroused by his contact, she ground herself against him again, then slipped her hands beneath his shirt. The man shivered enticingly, softly growling. A quiver of anticipation raced through her at that sound, though she was unprepared for the next thing he did.

A surprised gasp burst forth from her lips as he cupped her rear and lifted her against him, pressing his arousal hard against her bare wetness. She fell against him and moaned in hunger, whispering his name. He thrust slightly against her in response, and she cried out, clutching at his shirt.

If anything, his laboured breathing was a sign of his need, a need that she wanted to fulfill, as she wanted him to fulfill hers.

Pushing his shirt up his chest, she shivered when he broke the kiss and raised his arms to let her take it off him. The woman dropped his shirt to a side, before gazing at him. He always looked so strong… She traced her finger over his front, following the natural, depressed lines, then up to circle the dark, flat disk of his nipple, so that it peaked. He was watching her, she knew.

Bending down, she drew her tongue over him, causing him to shiver.

He kicked his shoes off, then gathered her in his arms and brought her over to the bed, roughly throwing her down. The man watched her concernedly for signs of pain or discomfort, but instead, she whimpered and squirmed on the bed, looking pointedly at him. He grinned and begun to shed his clothes.

Then he stilled when she drew her hand over her body and closed her eyes to savour the effect. It excited him immensely to see her do this… The tightness at his crotch increased. Emitting a soft growl, he discarded the rest of his clothing, crawling onto the mattress.

She scanned him with her eyes, grinned, then slid her arms around his neck, pulling him close. A moan fell from her lips as he rested his weight on her, nudging her wetness slightly. He shivered at the touch, reaching up to cup her cheek. She _was_ beautiful…

"Ray…" That moan was the last word he heard, before she bucked against him, and his control slipped. Groaning, he dipped his head and caught her lips, reaching to caress her breasts as he prepared to satisfy their needs…

* * *

She rested her head against his chest, spent. Quite some time had flown by, so that it had stopped snowing, and pale moonbeams shone through the window, casting faded shadows on the wall. Sleep still evaded her… What about Ray? She hadn't moved much, for fear of disturbing him.

A hand sifting through her hair evoked a smile on her lips. He was awake, too? Mariah raised her head to look at him, noting that the movement had paused. The man met her gaze, and she blinked, smiling more widely.

"You couldn't sleep either, Ray?" Raising an eyebrow, she tapped his chest, waiting for a response.

"I couldn't. I was… watching you." He grinned and pulled her close with his arms. "I like watching you."

"Why?" A light flush crept up her cheeks. She knew the reason, but wanted to hear it from him anyway.

He bent and kissed her forehead when she shifted to move up. It felt nice having this particular female body sprawled over him… "Because I love you."

Her eyes softened when he said that. She was delighted that he loved her in return… Snuggling closer to him, she murmured, "I love you, too."

Using slow, circular strokes, he started to rub her back. She purred with enjoyment, nuzzling his neck in gratitude. He smiled, then looked up and stared ahead. "Since the both of us can't manage to sleep, why don't we go out for a walk instead?"

Her lips twitched up. "Sounds good to me."

The woman got up reluctantly, missing the skin contact with him right afterwards. He must have noticed it, from the way he sat up and kissed her on the lips. It brought warm touches of pleasure to her skin, causing her to smile. He smiled back, then helped her to her feet.

Dressing was a simple matter, though the way he stood by and watched sent shivers down her spine. Ray walked over and slipped an arm around her waist, guiding her out of the room and down the stairs. Leaving the building took another couple of minutes, past wooden stairwells and corridors, and finally out onto the snow-covered grounds of the resort.

Foxfire danced over the land, giving their surroundings a partially-lighted effect that made it almost ethereal. No voices could be heard outside the building – just the calls of animals woven between the rustles of trees. A few steps ahead lay a gentle downward slope, speckled with coniferous pines. Behind, the resort was still lighted, but no one else ventured out into the night. They were alone with each other…

Ray didn't think much when Mariah bent down – until she stood up and tipped snow down the back of his neck. Starting at the sudden cold, he turned to look at her. She grinned mischievously at him, then ducked to grab another handful of snow.

He was going to get pelted with even more melting snow if he didn't retaliate…

Dropping to his knees, Ray gathered a handful of the same white powder, sneaking a quick peek at her. Her hands stopped on the way to the ground, and her eyes widened in realisation, then she tilted backward on the balls of her feet to put some distance between them.

Giving up wasn't on his mind as he leaned forward and slipped the handful behind her hair, to where her neck was, before she could squirm away. She squealed at the contact of first the snow, then his hand, raising her shoulders to prevent him from depositing more snow on her body. Her unsuccessfulness, coupled with her loss of balance, resulted in the woman landing on her rear, melted snow dripping down her neck.

He grinned triumphantly, taking another scoop of snow into his hand.

Mariah pouted, recovering quickly by reaching up and sprinkling snow over his head. A look from him sent her crawling away in the direction of the slope, laughing.

His heart filled with stark love for her. He was attracted to her playfulness… Matching her grin, the man crawled after her, bearing over her where she sat on the very edge of the slope. It was cold all around, but she radiated an inviting heat…

Then his hand slipped on the smooth ground buried beneath the snow, causing him to lose his balance and fall on her. He remembered only her surprised cry, before his weight pulled them off the edge in a clean move. They began to slide first, then rolled, once, twice, all the while in a messy blur.

Ray wound his arms around her back – she clutched at his arms, barely able to breathe in the rough tumble down the slope. There was no fear – just an anticipation of when a tree would stop their motion.

A grunt escaped his lips when his back hit the trunk of a pine, effectively stopping them. He breathed deeply, still lying on the ground, watching her stunned expression. Barely a second later, thick layers of snow slid off the narrow crown, completely burying their forms.

The heavy, white material proved to be a little too suffocating for comfort, and he tightened his hold around her, exhaling in subtle relief when she responded. Exerting a force against the snow, he broke through the layer and sat up at the same time she did, a smile touching this lips at her ruffled appearance. Snow clung to her hair, giving her the air of a fairy caught in the middle of a mild snowstorm.

God, he did love her so…

Leaving their legs snugly entangled, he shifted his arms down to her waist, pulling her close and leaning against the tree. She rested her warm hands on his chest, her eyes fixed on his. "We live."

"Yeah, we live," the man agreed, cupping her cheeks. He traced his thumb over her soft lower lip. "And you're beautiful."

Admiring the pink flush on her cheeks, he slanted his head to press a warm, gentle kiss to her lips.

* * *

Again, since it's the Christmas season, would you be so kind as to raise the review count for this one-shot to 10? Tell me how it was, comment on the rating, and tell me what you thought of the fic! Many thanks!


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